5 MORE reasons to join the Unforgettable Dementia Support Group

If you aren’t already a member of this rapidly growing group, here’s why becoming a member could be a very good idea. Click here to join.

1: You’ll meet like-minded people who understand

The Unforgettable Dementia Support Group already has more than 2000 members who regularly share their experiences, dilemmas and questions with each other. Best of all, everyone who posts questions, queries or shares thoughts and feelings, seems to receive a warm, supportive response. In fact, one member greeted a newcomer by saying: ‘Welcome to the family!’

2: You could find out about something you didn’t know

You’ll have a chance to swap practical tips and information. This week for example, there was much debate about the ‘terrifying’ cost of care homes. One member suggested it might be cheaper to spend a night at the Ritz than pay for respite care (!). Others shared how they’d managed to access NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) and get all their care funded by the NHS. Here’s an article we wrote about this too that might help:Are you being ‘wrongly charged’ for care home costs?

3: You could find practical solutions that other people have used

This week there was also a lively discussion about what to do if the person you care for wanders off on their own while you’re out and about. Members shared experiences and swapped tips. The general consensus was that a simple mobile phone or a tracker might save a lot of stress. For more strategies to deal with wandering go here:

Since many members of the support group are the main family carer, there are two subjects that crop up often; lack of sleep and how to cope with distressing behaviour from the person they love so much. This week, many people expressed frustration and sorrow about the personality changes and mood swings dementia can bring. Sometimes, they agreed, it can be hard not to take hurtful comments personally. If you’re experiencing issues like this, here’s a couple of articles you might find useful.*Why does dementia cause suspicions, delusions and paranoia?*What’s causing aggressive behaviour?

5: Win free stuff

We post dementia-related competitions and giveaways as often as we can. For example, anyone joining in March stands a chance of winning the dementia-bestseller Somebody I Used to Know by Wendy Mitchell.